It was with great relief that I saw the most dependable signs of spring at the grocery store last week: dozens of bunches of bright yellow daffodils, and mounds of delicate asparagus. Better yet, both were on sale. Winter fatigue has finally met its match.

The checkout lady wearily eyed my four bunches of asparagus and noted that she was definitely not a fan. Taking her words as a challenge, I set off to prove her wrong. Here's the thing with asparagus - you must be SO careful not to over cook it. Whether boiling or roasting, keep the cook time to about four or five minutes or you will be stuck with some pretty revolting, stringy, mushy veggies. In this recipe for mini quiche, the asparagus go into the batter raw, and the eggs are given a quick bake at high heat. The asparagus stay firm and delicious.

These little quiche are my go-to for brunch, and certainly would not suffer from the addition of a bit of crumbled bacon or perhaps a few sun-dried tomatoes. Equally enjoyable straight out of the oven or at room temperature.